Baltimore Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora chases a ground ball to throw out the Toronto Blue Jays’ Adam Lind in the eighth inning of their game in Baltimore on Monday.

PHOTO: AP

Scott Kazmir and two relievers combined on a two-hitter as the Tampa Bay Rays beat the struggling Oakland Athletics 4-0 in the American League on Monday.

Rookie Evan Longoria homered for the third consecutive game and drove in two runs, helping the AL East leaders win for the third time in four days following a season-worst seven-game losing streak.

The Athletics have lost six straight, scoring nine runs during the slide.

Kazmir walked four and struck out nine in seven innings.

YANKEES 12, TWINS 4

At New York, Alex Rodriguez had a two-run homer and RBI single to help New York to its eighth straight home win.

Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter homered for the Yankees, and Johnny Damon was activated from the disabled list and went 1-for-4 as the designated hitter.

Alexi Casilla had three hits for Minnesota, but the second baseman’s throwing error led to three unearned runs in New York’s four-run second.

ORIOLES 8, BLUE JAYS 3

At Baltimore, Adam Jones homered in the third, then got a key infield single in a three-run fifth for Baltimore.

Jones hit a two-run homer and scored twice.

RED SOX 4, MARINERS 0

At Seattle, Jon Lester carried a shutout into the eighth inning and struggling Jason Varitek hit a two-run homer for Boston.

Lester (8-3) went 7 1-3 innings, allowing eight hits, the last of which was a hard one-hopper off his right shin. He left the game with the bases loaded but did not appear injured. Jonathan Papelbon got Raul Ibanez to ground into a double play and then finished for his 29th save. It was Boston’s major league-best 11th shutout.

Rookie Jed Lowrie hit a two-run single in the eighth and Manny Ramirez had three singles.

Paul Byrd (4-10) allowed a run and nine hits over 5 1-3 innings for his first victory since June 6. He was 0-5 with a 7.76 ERA in his previous six starts.

Masa Kobayashi struck out the side in the ninth for his sixth save.

The Angels, coming off a three-game sweep of defending World Series champion Boston, still own the baseball’s best record (60-39) and hold a nine-game lead over Oakland in the AL West.

Ervin Santana (11-4) was charged with four runs — three earned — and seven hits over seven innings, striking out eight.

In the fourth inning, Marte homered to give Cleveland a 2-1 lead.

Blake made it 4-1 in the fifth and Peralta added a homer in the eighth.

RANGERS 6, WHITE SOX 1

At Chicago, Josh Hamilton hit a three-run homer and Hank Blalock added a two-run shot to power Texas.

Hamilton hit his 22nd homer in the third off Javier Vazquez, as Chicago lost its third straight, all at home.

Blalock added his fourth homer in the eighth.

Chicago’s Carlos Quentin led off the fourth with his 24th homer, and Vazquez (7-8) struck out 10 and gave up three runs in seven innings.

TIGERS 19, ROYALS 4

At Kansas City, Missouri, Miguel Cabrera had five hits and six RBIs and Matt Joyce added four hits and five RBIs for Detroit.

Joyce hit a three-run homer in the third and had two singles in the Tigers’ 10-run eighth, which also included a three-run homer by Gary Sheffield. Cabrera singled and doubled and drove in two runs in the eighth when the Tigers sent 15 men to the plate.